3 Products/Brands We Need to do Away With.

So, I’m this plump little cutie pie writing in the health section today because of an epiphany I had. While watching a nail biting season finale of ‘How to get away with Murder’ (all hail Viola Davis) and munching on Lays, I came across an advertisement of the so-called ‘diet biscuits’ by a leading Bollywood lady and I think to myself ‘what rubbish. Do people even buy this stuff?’ But here’s the catch, they do! How else do such products fly off the shelves so fast? Thanks to the marketing strategies targeted at the gullible audience, such brands rake in billions just by fooling the masses.

So here are the top three products/brands in my opinion that seriously need to be scrutinized by the consumers.

Fair n’ lovely.

I once came across a beautiful post in The Anonymous Writer that so aptly describes my revulsion for this product.

He worshipped Kali and Shyam, two Gods

Always depicted with dark skin but

Refused to marry a dark girl.

The gods laughed at the irony.

This one product in my opinion is a major cause of inferiority complex in people today. I mean, you do not have to be fair and you can still be lovely! It is highly demeaning when society puts so much pressure on individuals to look beautiful. What is worse is they associate this fair/beautiful/gorgeous hogwash with the idea of attaining success in life. Yeah right! You just need a dab of fairness cream and you can bid farewell to all your life’s woes. Bliss!

Complan, Diet biscuits, etc.

‘Taller stronger sharper’ – The three magic words through which Complan and its contemporaries have made a butt load of money. By manipulating susceptible parents, these brands have unlocked the key to success. There’s a reason Complan doesn’t guarantee growth in height. It is actually milk that helps you grow. These marketing tricks have become apparent in our society. Forget adopting a healthy lifestyle, working out, playing outside and actually studying, Complan is here to concoct a magical potion to help your kids these days! Wherefore art thou, Lucifer?

Slim Sauna Belt.

I’ve already choked on my drink just by thinking of these words. If you don’t have the same hysterical reaction, you’ve got some serious issues. This product has the most bizarre, freakishly long advertisements that can put even the promo of ‘Messenger of God’ to shame. And that is saying something! It isn’t scientifically proven that slim sauna belts help you reduce weight. It only sucks out the water from your system that does in fact, flatten your stomach for a while and your tummy is back when you drink a glass of water. It is another sad marketing attention-grabber that people shell out thousands of bucks for only to feel cheated and sad and consume some ‘comfort food’ to get through the depression.

So here is the list of brands I find most ridiculous in the industry today. My perspective isn’t intellectual per se, but it’s more about the hypocrisy that is unendurable. And I hope that this piece of advice does reach out more and more people for my own sanity. For now, I’ll get back to my diet coke -er- I mean my show.

A student of English Literature at the Delhi University, Shruti is a diehard fan of Hugh Laurie, J.K. Rowling, Khaled Hosseini and Robert Downey Jr. Passionate about food, books, movies and sitcoms, this Potterhead has found her niche in creative writing and plans to go places.